Fic: Cleveland Calling (9?)

"See you tomorrow guys," Kate rose from the lounge sofa.

She was unsurprised when Xander stood. "There's always a spare room if you want to stay over. Only it's late," the young Watcher offered.

"Thanks," she smiled at the Californian male, as charmed as always by his clumsy politeness. And it didn't hurt watching Faith's hackles rise whenever Xander was nice to her. "But I've got an early start in the morning, I need to get some reports finished."

"Okay," Xander nodded. "Well see you."

"Bye everyone," she smiled at a couple of the younger Slayers' waves before heading out of the room and walking out of the front door.

"Hey, Kate, wait up!" Kate turned at the voice behind her, shaking her head at the vampire stood there. Angel chuckled. "When you look this good you expect open-mouthed admiration, first time it's ever happened though."

Kate blinked. Angel making jokes? "Sorry," she shook her head. "It's just seeing you here in one piece."

"Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

"You're quoting Mark Twain at me, now?"

"Ach, he's not Irish, but he'll do."

"Never seen you so happy before."

Angel's smile widened. "You never really knew me Kate," the vampire admonished. "People helped me realise that to be more than just a demon who happened to be a soul I had to actually connect with people, be a part of groups."

Kate flushed as she remembered something. "I never thanked you for saving me that night, not properly."

Angel waved her thanks away. "I didn't do it for thanks."

Kate craned her neck to look up at the big man. "No, but you didn't do it to be thrown out five minutes afterwards."

"True enough," the demon nodded, "in that case in penance you can let me buy me a coffee?"

Kate stared at the demon for a second. "Okay, sure."


"Andrew," Andrew gulped as the kitchen door slammed behind the Cleveland Watcher, "we need to talk."

"Uh," Andrew hurriedly began scooping up the recipes he'd been going through, shoving the assorted pieces of paper back into the battered shoe box he used as their container. "I was just going to be-."

"Sit down." He swallowed at Xander's tone and gulped before immediately obeying. "Thank you." After a second, his boss continued. "Andrew, I've got to talk about you and Spike," the Watcher shook his head, "reality check, Andrew. Spike was only out for himself."

"If that's true why did he stay with you all during the Summer Of Despair!" he protested.

"The Summ-," Xander nodded. "Oh, you mean when Buff died. My guess, if he couldn't have the Slayer, he'd groom her sister. Or he was depending on us for food. One of the two."

"If you thought that why didn't you kick him out?"

"I was busy holding the rest of the group together, if we'd ever got ourselves straight enough I was intending to call in some favours, get Riley to see about getting Faith released to take Buff's place or preferably provide a military presence on the Hellmouth and stake Spike. And what choice did I have? We needed the muscle, and if there was one thing Spike loved it was a fight? But," Xander grimaced, guilt flickering in his eyes, "I let Willow convince to pull Buff back from the dead, I wasn't strong enough."

"Even without a soul though, he helped you!"

Xander's brow furrowed. "Helped us? He stalked Buffy, built a damn robot of Buffy to use as a sex-toy, betrayed us to ADAM, used her when she was emotionally damaged, and tried to rape her when she came back to her senses. How is that helping?"

Andrew shook his head. "He repented of his sins and went to get a soul for Buffy!"

"Sure Andrew," Xander rubbed at his forehead. "Leaving the soul issue aside, if he repented of his sins, did he ever apologise to anyone other than Buffy over the evil he'd done them?" Andrew opened his mouth to explain the mighty didn't need to explain themselves to lesser beings. "No, because he was motivated by self interest." Andrew opened his mouth again. "You remember his leather jacket?"

"Oh yeah," Andrew nodded enthusiastically. "He looked so hot in that, I could almost fancy him."

"I'm sure," Xander rubbed at his forehead. "That coat belonged to Nikki Wood." Andrew stared blankly at the Watcher. "Robin's mother, the Slayer, he took it off her cooling corpse." Andrew shuddered. "He still wore his trophy after he got his soul. He was proud of it. He was proud of everything he'd done."

"B…but-."

"It was all an act, Andrew. All he wanted was Buffy."

"He died for us all by wearing the amulet of doom!" Andrew defended his hero.

"Yeah, kinda wish that had stuck. Buffy gave him the amulet. If he hadn't worn it, he wouldn't have got any action. Buffy had no idea what it would do before she gave it to him, by the time it started working he didn't have any choice in the matter," Xander sighed and stood. "The bottom line Andrew is this. You've got to stop acting like a Jas-Bar hill-troll." Andrew's eyes filled with tears. How could Xander possibly compare him to the chronically stupid, foul-smelling followers of the demi-god, Spuffy, arch-demon of selfishness and arrogance? "I'm trying my best to bring these girls up well and I don't need you warbling on about Spike. I don't like Angel, but he seems to be on our side. Spike only had one side, his own. You don't have to believe that. But if you keep on supporting him, you can get out."

"B..but this is my home."

"My house, my rules. This is the real world Andrew, people have to pay for the wrong they've done, and you glorifying Spike is just using him to hide your own screw-ups. Men stand up and face the wrong they've done, I've made mistakes, that's why I'm here, trying to atone for them, you might want to think about atoning for Jonathan and Katrina." Andrew watched through teary eyes as Xander walked out.


Kate sipped at her steaming Mocha, glancing around the homely coffee house, filled with the differing flavours, the smells almost enough to give one a coffee high. "It's nice in here."

Kate glanced at her companion. "It is," she agreed. After a lick of the lips, she asked the question that had been troubling her since Angel's return. "What's heaven like?"

Angel smiled wistfully. "Truth is I don't know. All I remember is the details I told you all. My guess is a lower being like me isn't able to cope with such memories without going insane."

"Oh right," disappointed at the answer, Kate took another sip before asking another question. "It must have been hard, making the decision to come back?"

"Not really," Angel shook his head. "There was Connor. And it would be a slap in the face to Wes and the others who gave their lives if I gave up a second chance, took the easier path."

Kate nodded. "I guess. It must be hard though, I mean Xander doesn't like you much does he?"

"Is this an interrogation, Officer Lockley?" Angel chuckled before sobering. "No he doesn't," the demon admitted. "Truth be told I can't blame him."

"Why's that?"

"We have a complicated history. You remember Buffy?" Kate grimaced and nodded, oh yeah, she remembered the obnoxious dwarf she'd briefly met the night she'd arrested Faith. "We both wanted her, he lost."

"He's jealous of you? Still?" Kate couldn't believe Xander would be that petty.

Angel grimaced. "I wish that was all of it. His best friend, I don't know the details, never met the kid, was turned within hours of meeting Buffy. When he found out I was a vampire that was it. And," Angel sighed, "I was pretty in it just for Buffy guy back in Sunnydale. Xander saw that and didn't like it."

"You've changed since then," she comforted. "You'll just have to convince Xander of that."

"Well it's not like I'm getting any older." Angel grinned for a second before turning serious. "You know Faith's not a bad kid."

"Her rap sheet says different." Kate sighed at Angel's penetrating gaze. "I know, I know, she's saved the world, but she's also killed innocents in cold blood. And with her power," Kate shook her head.

"She's changed." Kate was unsurprised when Angel defended his protégée. "Things sure are complicated."

"And that's without mentioning Connor, I was surprised you didn't spend more time with him rather than coming after me."

"A beautiful woman or my son, tough call." Angel shook his head. "No, Dana and I have a history of sorts. She can remember everything that happened to Slayers that came before her," Kate's eyes widened, "she can remember Angelus trying to kill Faith. And as Faith is her idol I figured it was best to give her time to get used to me."

"Are you going to try and take Xander's place as leader?"

Angel smiled. "That's the $ 64,000 question isn't it?" Finally the demon shook his head. "No. That wouldn't be right. Xander's been made leader by Giles. And Giles is one of the two smartest men I've ever met, I'll trust his decision," Angel chuckled. "Besides, there's a number of Slayers who take turns killing me if I dare try usurp the mighty Xander."

Kate laughed. "He's sure got a fan-club hasn't he?"

"That he has."


"Yeah, Giles, I know," Xander winced as Giles swore again, words he'd never heard the Englishman or anyone use before. He'd have to take a note, some of them could come in handy. "I thought he was gone too. It's not my fault, I didn't ask for him here." Xander grimaced as he got another tirade of blue language in his ear. "Yeah, if I tell him to go, Connor and Faith will leave with him so I'm stuck. Yeah, I promise I'll phone if he's trouble. Thanks G-Man."

Xander shook his head as he hung up. Vampire clans, W&H, Angel, his talk with Andrew, this had to be his worse day eve-. He looked up at a knock on the door. "X," Xander groaned at the sultry Slayer's husky voice, "can I come in?"

And apparently it still wasn't over. Great, a lecture on the sanctity of Angel, he felt like he was sixteen again. Ah, the memories. "Sure."

"Thanks," a few immeasurably long seconds later and the door swung open. The clearly nervous Bostonian walked in, stopped, and looked expectantly at the chair. "You mind if?"

"Sure."

"Thanks," Faith sat down. Another long silence ensued. "Don't make me chose between you and Angel, X."

"Why? I'll lose," the old bitterness swelled up inside him. "I guess I should be used -."

"No," Faith interrupted with a shake of her head. "It's 'cause if you do it'll tear me apart." The east coast beauty looked him in the eye. "I ain't had many good experiences with guys, you'se and Angel are the only two who've always tried to do the best for me, had my back. Most guys I've known have been one step up from Spike. I don't wanna lose either of ya."

For a moment Xander was rocked by the pain and fear in Faith's eyes. Finally he nodded. "Sure Faith, I can't promise anything," Xander replied, "except to try."

"Thanks X," for a fleeting moment he thought the Slayer would leap across the table and hug him. Instead, she stood and backed towards the door. "He's a good guy, if you just give him a chance." With that, the Slayer fled out of his office.

"Oh no," Xander looked around the empty office, "my life's not complicated."


"Hey Connor," Angel shuffled from foot to foot as he observed his son. He always tried with Connor. At first he fancied he'd been a good father, but after Holtz had kidnapped him and his boy had returned as a teenager, things had never been quite the same. "How are things going?"

"Not bad," his son looked as uncomfortable as he did. But then it wasn't often you had a parent return from the dead. Angel's brow furrowed, although it probably happened to Connor more than mo-.

"Faith says I can trust you."

Angel glanced behind him, surprised that Dana could have gotten behind her. He was stunned just how beautiful the young Slayer was once cleaned up. "You can-."

"I saw you hurt her, beat her up," Dana continued over him, eyes hard.

Angel winced at you. "That wasn't me-."

"Looked like you," Dana said flatly.

"Dana-," Connor put in, "that was Angelus not Angel."

The Slayer's eyes didn't shift from him. "Won't let you hurt Faith or Mr. Harris," Angel resisted the urge to snigger at 'Mr. Harris', "they're my friends. They look after me, give me a home." Dana glanced at Connor. "Won't let you hurt him either."

"Look Dana, I'm not going to hurt anyone," Angel controlled his temper with the ease of decades' practice, "you can see Faith's memories, you can see me helping her too can't you?"

"Only reason I haven't staked you yet," Dana snapped.

Angel blinked. Well that was blunt.


"Can I come in?"

Faith took a breath. After a quick wipe of her sweaty palms on her jeans, she let out a shout. "Door's always open to you Angel."

"Thanks," after a second, the door swung open and her idol walked in. "Hey."

"Hey," Faith nodded uncertainly. "Good to see you all non-ashy."

Angel's smile had a stretched quality to it. "It was a close-run thing. But," her hero shrugged. "I managed it."

"Heaven, hell?" Faith chuckled. "You're an indecisive bastard ain't ya?"

"Not necessarily," Angel defended. "Just sorta fond of some people on this plane of existence."

"Yeah," reddening, Faith dropped her gaze to the carpet.

Crouching down, Angel cupped her face and lifted it up. "Never be embarrassed about someone caring for you, Faith," the demon chuckled. "After all, Dana certainly does. Told me in no uncertain terms what would happen to anyone who messed with Faith or 'Mr. Harris'."

"Fuck!" Faith's eyes widened. "Shit, Angel! I'm sorry!" she babbled. "I'll talk to her!"

"It's fine," Angel raised a hand, "she said it because she cares about you. And it's no wonder, from all I've heard, you've done great with her."

"Had to help her," Faith shrugged. "It was a way of," she shrugged again, "of sort of paying you back, helping someone the way you helped me."

"There's no debt Faith," Angel replied, "just friendship."

"Yeah," Faith searched desperately for a change of subject. "Well I'll speak to her."

"Don't," Angel smiled and shook his head. "She's my new Gunn."

"Uh?"

"My safety net," Angel translated. "I once told Gunn I appreciated that I knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill me if Angelus returned. She's my safety net."

Faith stared at her best friend. "That ain't gonna happen."

"I don't intend to let it," Angel agreed before peering into her eyes. "You're alright though? We haven't spoken since…" For the first time Angel looked uncomfortable.

"Since I found Wood with his equipment inside some bitch?" Faith bitterly commented.

"He didn't deserve you," Angel soothed.

"Thanks," Faith smiled. "I know, it hurt my pride more than anything else. Guy was a useless fuck anyhow."

"TMI, Faith," Angel shuddered. "Just because Wood turned out to be an asshole doesn't mean you should give up having a proper relationship."

"You offering?" Faith licked her lips and arched a suggestive eyebrow only to laugh at Angel's rare flustered expression. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Angel glared at her. "And how are things here? You settling alright?"

Faith shrugged. "Xander runs a tight ship, he's real good with the kids, we're well equipped, Andy and Ams handle the research. We're cool."

"I didn't ask about everyone else," Angel fixed her with a level gaze. "I asked about you. There seemed some tension between you and Xander before."

Damn his vampire eyes, Faith mused, he saw everything. "He's still a little gun-shy of me. The others, they're his gang, I'm just someone who hangs around with them."

Angel's eyes went scary intense. "He doesn't say or do anything to you?"

"No, no, no," Faith really didn't need to see Angel getting pounded by her Watcher's groupies. "It's just there's like a wall there that isn't with the others." Faith shrugged. "Can't blame him really. He tries, we both do."

"I'll have a word with him."

"Fuck no!" Faith exclaimed. "It'd be like I was a kid running to my mommy for help. 'Sides, when you," Faith shook her head, "when you died he pulled me back from going all self-destructive again."

Angel blinked. "He did?" then her mentor shook his head. "That's irrelevant. Faith, you can't react like that to loss, you've got to think of the damage you can do to yourself or others. Sides," the demon quirked a half-smile, "much as I appreciate the sentiment, you've got others who care about and depend on you. That little fireball my son's dating for one."

"I know," she nodded. "It was just the shock and everything."

"Okay," Angel turned to the door. "But aside from some tension with Xander, everything's okay?"

"Five by five."


"Trying a bolo punch might look fancy in the ring, but on the street it'll get you killed."

Angel hid a grin when Xander stumbled at his voice. The younger man turned towards him, remaining eye wary. "Deadboy."

Angel chose to ignore his irritation at the all too familiar nickname. "Didn't know you boxed," he commented.

"I didn't," turning back to the bag, the youth slammed an useful looking left hook into it. "At least not when you were in town." The young Watcher peppered the bag with left jabs. "I started the summer you left."

"Oh," Xander's eye widened when he went around the back of the bag and grabbed it, supporting it against the younger man's punches. "You know I was at the Ketchel-Johnson fight in 1909."

Xander stopped and looked at him. "The what?"

"Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, Stanley Ketchel, the world's middleweight champion, known as 'The Michigan Assassin'." Seeing Xander' blank look, he shook his head. "Your education is sadly lacking."

An almost-grin tugged at Xander's mouth. "You sound like my third, forth, fifth, well you get the idea, grade teachers."

"Why am I not surprised?" He grunted when the one-eyed man dug a left hook into the bag, denting it. "So who's the bag meant to be?" he asked an overhead right pounded into the target. "Me?"

"Think," a two left jab and right body shot combo slammed home, "a lot," after a bob and weave the Watcher slammed a left hook into the bag, "don't you?" A quick side shuffle to the right and another jab powered into the bag. "No," by now the Watcher was perspiring heavily, "Andrew. Sometimes," the youth dropped into a crab before firing right and left body shots off, "I wonder if he lives in the real world."

"That was my first thought upon meeting him," Angel concurred before swallowing. "I'm not here to tell you what to do, Xander," he grunted when a furious right hook threatened to tear the bag from his grip, "I just want to help. I've changed."

"So Faith tells me," suddenly Xander stepped back and unleashed a hard right cross before dropping his arms.

"She thinks a lot of you," Angel commented carefully.

"Huh, huh," Xander looked less than convinced.

Deciding not to push that issue just yet, he returned to the subject in hand. "You throw a mean punch Xander, good combos too. Train often?"

"I used to work out at a gym in town, but when Faith found out," Xander scowled. "She insisted I trained here as part of the team."

"Makes sense."

"I know," Xander shrugged. "But I liked having something that wasn't here. Something private."

"I can understand that," Angel paused as an idea struck. "Faith said you have DVD nights once a fortnight where the whole team watch a couple of DVDs, eat popcorn and stuff?"

"I figure it's bonding time, although I really hate it when one of the girls' picks teen coms." Angel stared at the young man, eyebrow raised. Xander flushed. "Okay, well the cheerleaders are cool."

Angel chuckled before shaking his head. "Your perversion apart it's a good idea. Like I said, I'm a fight fan, maybe I could get some DVDs on boxing, show you more of the history of the sport?"

Xander stared at him for a second before nodding. "Next one's on Thursday."

"Great," Angel smiled. It wasn't much, but it was a start.